Mrs Clarke opened the door. It was on the latch, and she peeped cautiously through the small gap. ‘Hello,’ I said. ‘My name’s Jennifer. I’m here from the Sunshine Programme.’ Mrs Clarke’s face brightened immediately on hearing this. She closed the door, unlatched it and then opened it fully. ‘Hello,’ she said. ‘Please come in. […]

Îles de la Madeleine (Magdalen Islands) Canada, 1771 The sea itself feared to swallow a race bold enough to unknot her watery roots… where the giant seaweed moors the horizon to the setting sun. Antonine Maillet, Pélagie la Charette   Marie-Andrée Le Blanc has never heard of the god Aeolus, nor the Aeolian harp whose […]

My mother loved gossip, particularly when it concerned human folly or, even better, sin. I always put this down to her childhood, during which she had been brought up by joyless Victorian grandparents in accordance with the strict teachings of the Plymouth Brethren. Although she had long escaped her family’s domination, those years of harsh […]

We’re nearing the end of the academic year. The collective rumble of chairs being lifted above the ground reverberates around the school as the sound of chatter slowly crowds the air. Students throng along the corridor, making their way to their classes before the next bell rings. In the classroom, buzzing conversations about vacation spots […]

There weren’t many people in town who noticed 5 Ophelia Street. Two oak trees stood in front − like cupped hands shielding a crying face − blocking the house from view. The neighbours, while walking their dogs or waiting for their kids’ buses, spotted the corner where the house stood, noted it as old and […]

Joanne Stubbs is the author of The Fish, publishing 06 October 2022. Joanne lives on the edge of the Cotswolds. After growing up in Staffordshire, she studied biochemistry at Wadham College, Oxford. She has since worked in a variety of roles in science communication and engagement. Joanne holds an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa […]

Harley Carnell lives and writes in London, England. He has been writing for over ten years, both in the short and longer forms, and had his first story published in 2011. Since then he has had varying success, but has tried to use all rejections as positive experiences to learn, hone his craft and improve […]

Mary Burns was born near Chicago, Illinois and moved to Canada during the Vietnam War protest years. A former journalist and documentary filmmaker, she turned to fiction and playwriting and eventually a teaching career as professor of Creative Writing, specialising in fiction, drama and personal narrative. She has two daughters, Elisabeth and Annie, and lives […]

Sarah Jane Butler is the author of Starling, publishing 29 September 2022. Sarah grew up on the edge of Southborough Common in Kent. She studied languages at university and spent time living in France and Spain. Her short stories (some published under the name SJ Butler) have appeared in literary journals and anthologies, and her story […]

Elliot Tan Zi Yu was born and raised in Singapore. When he’s not spending time overthinking, you can find him consuming media exploring the melancholy of humans and bonds that tie them together. Elliot first discovered his love for storytelling in the classroom. He has contributed to informative blogs and Instagram captions for a floral […]